Drinking Water

Flint

1,700 Flint Residents Sue U.S. EPA for $722 Million in Damages

Flint residents are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for damages caused by exposure to lead in the city's drinking supply.

February 1, 2017 - The Detroit News

Fracking

EPA: Fracking a Threat to Drinking Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finally spoken out about the risks posed by fracking to drinking water supplies. The Trump Administration seems very unlikely to head the warning.

January 8, 2017 - The New York Times

Lead Exposure

Lead Poisoning Found in Thousands of U.S. Communities

A Reuters study of public health data found 3,000 examples in the United States where lead poisoning rates exceed those in Flint, Michigan.

December 22, 2016 - Reuters

Water Bottles

Good News, Finally, For Flint, Michigan Residents

There's good but guarded news on drinking water. Lead levels are lower, below the federal action threshold, but residents are advised not to drink it without using filters. A federal state of emergency in effect since January was lifted Sunday.

August 15, 2016 - Michigan Radio

Florida Everglades

The Consequences of Sea Level Rise in the Florida Everglades

In South Florida, much of the focus in dealing with seal level rise has been on pumps and property values. A strong case is emerging, however, for the protection of the natural environment of the Everglades.

May 26, 2016 - Capital Public Radio

Portland Washington Park Resevoir

Portland's Plan to Move its Open Air Reservoirs Underground

Though the plan to move water storage capacity for the Washington Park reservoirs underground is getting more expensive, the project must be completed to comply with federal regulations.

May 26, 2016 - The Oregonian

drinking water fountain

Lead Exceeds Federal Standards in 200 Illinois Public Water Systems

A distressing report on the state of the water supply infrastructure in Illinois reveals the need for better analysis and reporting of water quality.

May 13, 2016 - Chicago Tribune

How the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Failed the People of Flint

While blame squarely lays with Michigan state officials, agencies, and possibly Gov. Rick Snyder himself, the EPA also played a role by both detecting the cause of the problem but not acting on the reports of improper treatment of river water.

January 31, 2016 - Huffington Post

First Step to Restoring Drinking Water for Flint—Coat the Existing Pipes

Gov. Rick Snyder (R-Mich.) announced on Wednesday that the state is working to ensuring safe tap water for Flint residents. While there is no schedule to replace the corroded lead pipes, they are being treated to prevent further lead leaching.

January 30, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Excessive Lead in Drinking Water Spread to Ohio

Learning from the mishaps shown by state regulatory agencies in Michigan, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency wasted no time in beginning a criminal investigation resulting from reports of concentrations of high lead levels in some Ohio homes.

January 27, 2016 - WFMJ-TV

The Erosion of Public Trust

The damage caused by Michigan environmental agencies charged with protecting public health extend far beyond Flint. Residents suffering health effects from a huge natural gas leak in Southern California see parallels with the lead poisoning crisis.

January 26, 2016 - The New York Times

Illustrating the Toxicity of Flint's Water Supply

The Washington Post shows why the Flint water crisis is so concerning for the health of the residents affected.

January 16, 2016 - The Washington Post

Michigan Governor Finds Himself at Center of Flint Water Crisis

A case is made that Gov. Rick Snyder's handling of the lead-tainted water in Flint, Michigan is analogous to former President George W. Bush's bungling of the crisis resulting after Hurricane Katrina touched-down on the Gulf coast in August 2005.

January 14, 2016 - MSNBC

Visualizing the Drought in the Colorado River Basin

The Colorado River, drinking water source for one in ten Americans, is severely impacted. A new interactive visualization illustrates just how dramatic the problem has become.

December 17, 2015 - U.S. Department of the Interior

drinking fountain

Report Finds Weak Spots in the Los Angeles Water Grid

A "water atlas" compiled by UCLA's Luskin Center for Innovation reveals the patchwork that is Los Angeles' water supply system. Neighborhoods reliant on small providers and groundwater sources may be vulnerable.

May 30, 2015 - CityLab

U.S. EPA Announces New 'Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center'

The U.S. EPA recently announced the Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center "as a resource to communities to improve their wastewater, drinking water and stormwater systems." Two reports show why it's the new resources are so badly needed.

January 20, 2015 - The Courier-Journal

Farming Impacts on Drinking Water Litigated in Iowa

A lawsuit by the Des Moines water utility could change the way the farming industry mitigates its environmental impacts.

January 13, 2015 - Grist

America's Crumbling Water Infrastructure

The country's aging water infrastructure is growing more wasteful and expensive to fix with every year. What will it take to re-engineer our drinking water supplies?

November 3, 2014 - NPR

Great Lakes Leaders Call for Drinking Water Protections

In light of August's drinking water catastrophe in Toledo, Ohio, Great Lakes mayors gathered this week to call for policy action to protect water resources round the Great Lakes.

September 25, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

International Effort Needed to Prevent Recurrence of Lake Erie Algal Bloom

On Monday, August 4, half a million people in the Toledo, Ohio metro region could once again drink from their water taps after a weekend without safe drinking water due to a toxin resulting from an algal bloom in the city's water supply, Lake Erie.

August 7, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

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